Estate or MPV for pulling band gear around the country?

frobisher

I'm changing my trusty VW Vento for something that can hold more a bit more gear and get me round the country cheaply. I'm thinking diesel, comfortable, and with enough space to take guitars and keyboards for as far under €2k as I can go without it falling apart at 3am on the way back from Letterkenny.

Old Volvo and Merc estates are forerunners. But what are they really like for space at the back? And what about early 90's/late 80's people carriers (I'm thinking Toyota)? Do they hold as much as they look like they can or do all those seats eat up the real estate? Any other options worth looking at?

CharlieCroker

frobisher wrote: »

I'm changing my trusty VW Vento for something that can hold more a bit more gear and get me round the country cheaply. I'm thinking diesel, comfortable, and with enough space to take guitars and keyboards for as far under €2k as I can go without it falling apart at 3am on the way back from Letterkenny.

Old Volvo and Merc estates are forerunners. But what are they really like for space at the back? And what about early 90's/late 80's people carriers (I'm thinking Toyota)? Do they hold as much as they look like they can or do all those seats eat up the real estate? Any other options worth looking at?

older people carriers needed the extra seats removed to make any real space tbh. until the zafira came out with the folding flat 3rd row.

Any old Volvo 850/V70 estate is prob going to one of the biggest.
Other options include:
Merc E class
Opel Omega
1996-on Bmw 5-series estate wasn't short on space
Citroen C5 has a good load bay

frobisher

CharlieCroker wrote: »

older people carriers needed the extra seats removed to make any real space tbh. until the zafira came out with the folding flat 3rd row.

Any old Volvo 850/V70 estate is prob going to one of the biggest.
Other options include:
Merc E class
Opel Omega
1996-on Bmw 5-series estate wasn't short on space
Citroen C5 has a good load bay

Considering that my budget will naturally take me towards older cars, will the Merc and Volvo generally be safer investments? Or is that just a stereotype?

frank gooding

What about a crewcab van few of them going through the auctions.

trasnporter and transit for example.

room for bodies and gear.

frobisher

frank gooding wrote: »

What about a crewcab van few of them going through the auctions.

trasnporter and transit for example.

room for bodies and gear.

For sub €2k?

Seweryn

frobisher wrote: »

Considering that my budget will naturally take me towards older cars, will the Merc and Volvo generally be safer investments? Or is that just a stereotype?

The Mercedes 124T Estate is a safe, lovely to drive, top quality build car. I currently drive one of these (a 1990 250TD, previously E300 Diesel) and I like it really. They all have non-turbo super reliable engines with good fuel economy. The best bit is the load capacity, as the car has the self leveling rear axle with flat, spacious boot. You can carry approximately 700kg in the car, so it is a King of The Load . The only problem with these cars is that there is very few of them in this country with a Diesel engine...